DACS Board of Directors Meeting
Wednesday, April 10, 2013

By Bruce Preston

Called to order: 7:15 PM

Attending: Attending:  Richard Corzo, Richard Teasdale, Jim Scheef, Andy Woodruff, Lisa Leifels, Bruce Preston, Drew Kwasnak, Annette van Ommeren
Visitor: Charlie Bovaird

Minutes of Last Meeting: Accepted as published in DACS.DOC

Treasurer’s Report for March 2013

Balance on hand 3/1/13 $4,296.01

INCOME

Dues $480.00
Bank Interest 0.17
Total $480.17

EXPENSES

Resource Center Phone $82.93
MeetUp 6 month fee $72.00
Newsletter Postage $45.54
Renewal Letter Postage

$14.76  

Total $215.23

Balance on hand 3/31/13 $4,560.95

Membership Stats

  February 2013 March 2013 April 2013
Paying members 126 127 122
-with email addresses 113 112 107
new members 1 1 0
       
DACS.DOC printed 100 100 75
DACS.DOC mailed 67 67 65
DACS.DOC mailed-member 47 47 46
DACS.DOC mailed-other 6 6 5
DACS.DOC mailed-free lib 14 14 14
       
General meeting Cloud Storage Genealogy On-Line Education
       
seat count 34 43 31
members signed in 28 32 31
visitors signed in 5 11 5

Old Business

  • General meetings
  • April 2: Laura Nute of Lynda.com - Online Learning. Preview: Elizabeth Talian, Review: Annette van Ommeren
  • May 7: John Patrick - State of the Internet. Preview: Jim Scheef, Review: Richard Teasdale – Press releases will go out.
  • June 4: Jennifer M. Scott - Twitter. Preview: Lisa Leifels Review:Andy Woodruff
  • July 2: Bruce Preston - PagePlus X6 Desktop Publishing. Preview: : Drew Kwasnack Review: suggest Allan Ostergren
  • Possible future topics:
    • Presentation on Facebook - Jim has worked with another organization (AMC) and they have gotten volunteers to post about 3 times a week.  It is a long-shot as a meeting topic, but he hasn’t crossed it off possible topic list yet.
    • Jeff Robbins (Drupal expert) - Jeff is interested in doing a presentation but is not able to commit to a date at this time. Andy contacted him in January to let him know our calendar is full the first half of this year. Andy will follow up in May and ask that he let us know when he will be near the area. (He resides in Rhode Island.) This is a “long shot” as to a presentation.  Andy will revisit.
    • Demonstrate apps for mobile devices–smartphones and tablets. This could be a meeting with multiple presenters for a full session, or it could be a small segment after Ask DACS. The iBook (Apple iTunes store), “The Telegraph: 500 Must Have Apps” would be a good resource. Richard Corzo tried to demo the Windows 8 app News Bento, an RSS news reader, but was thwarted twice by the hospital projectors.
    • Note that we have had trouble getting any Windows 8 machine to work with the hospital projectors. We may need to schedule any Windows 8-related topic for outside the hospital.  Bruce pointed out that at one time we used the DACS projector in the hospital, we will try that.  It will require an extension cable to get from the stage to the projector situated either on the stage center or by first row of seats.  Richard will look at the “500 Must Have Apps” published by the Telegraph (a U.K. newspaper.)
    • Jim is pursuing a presentation on Electronic Medical Records, etc. Danbury Hospital is leading edge on this topic. Jim was referred to the hospital’s CIO, Jim has communicated with CIO’s secretary who understands our request and will investigate finding a presenter suitable for our request.
    • Office 2013 later this year? Microsoft has backed off the one machine only per purchase (no transfer to replacement machine). Presentation should include pricing options – purchase vs. subscription, etc.  We could ask Jay Ferron or the Microsoft Store, or we could do a workshop in the Microsoft Store like we did for Windows 8.  Because of the hospital’s projector problem with Windows 8 we may want to use the Microsoft Store.
    • Describe/demo the Apple TV device or perhaps the rumored Intel product .  Explain watching TV using a broadband connection but not a cable TV subscription, such as via Hulu Plus, etc.  This is close to Mike Kaltschnee’s presentation of perhaps a year ago, so we will table for a while.
    • Microsoft Surface Pro (the Intel-based Microsoft tablet that will also run Windows desktop applications in addition to ‘apps’). Perhaps this should be included within a Windows 8 presentation as it probably is not enough for a full presentation.
    • Windows Blue – is it an incremental upgrade (Windows 8.1) or a different name for a service pack?  We will watch it.
    • Bruce suggested repurposing an old machine (such as an XP era machine since XP support is being sunsetted) to a machine that runs a variant of Linux such as one of the Puppy releases.  He had recently converted a very sluggish netbook to one that runs impressively fast.  Richard Corzo will contact Dave Maudsley and Jim Ritterbusch to see if they would be interested in a presentation.
    • Something on Shutterfly?
    • Something on Pinterest?
    • Animation software – such as an Anime package.  At one time we had someone from WCSU, need to investigate. We will keep eye open at Hacker Faire etc.
    • Do a tour of Windows Live Suite: Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Mail, Writer (blogs) etc.
  • Open positions
  • Need a new APCUG representative to replace Patrick Libert, primarily to post to the APCUG website, field questions, receive quarterly postings, etc. Bill Saturno volunteered, but Richard C. wasn’t able to find credentials yet for logging in.
  • We also need a liaison with TechSoup–the fulfillment operation used by many software vendors for distribution to non-profits.  The TechSoup function is to receive distributions of product announcements and distribute to the Board.  This person would also be responsible for placing orders. Jim identified that Patrick was the contact, he will have to get the account changed.  Jim Scheef volunteered.
  • “Beginners” Workshop? Workshop could be held from time to time. Jim volunteered to do a workshop and Charlie volunteered to be an assistant. Jim and Charlie canceled the proposed Feb. 27th meeting. Do we plan to reschedule? Should we hold a Windows 8 workshop instead for new users?  Perhaps make an occasional mobile devices SIG meeting feature Windows 8.  Another possibility is to have a session at the Microsoft Store – “Migrating to Windows 8”.   For now Jim and Richard will plan on doing it in the May meeting.
  • To help launch the Innovation Center and Hackerspace, the City of Danbury is hosting the Danbury Mad Hacker Social Media Conference, which will feature the Danbury Mini Maker Faire. Mike Kaltschnee has invited us to have a booth at the Maker Faire in June and we have accepted the offer.  What should go into the booth?  Something that isn’t static?  Something “Maker-ish” whatever that is?  Example: Make a DVR with a Linux box? Richard will contact the Linux guys.  This could be related to the next item – the discussion overlapped.
  • Separately Tom Carruthers asked to meet with us about possible participation in the Mad Hacker Conference June 8 and 9 in downtown Danbury. Tom says, “I have been put in charge of the task of organizing about 28-35 workshops, panels, symposiums and keynotes for the event. There will also be a Makers Fair on the green and at the Ice Arena as well as events, keynotes and a big bash at the new Danbury Sports Dome located on Shelter Rock Road.” Sean H. and Andy Woodruff are willing to do a music workshop, possibly in two sessions, one introductory and the second more advanced. Tom mentioned an interest in Google Docs as part of an open source office workshop, asking for a contact.
  • It looks like Jim was ultimately successful at renewing our initial one-year Microsoft Office 365 subscription, used by the DACS board. Our subscription status now shows an expiration of March 15, 2014.
  • Since we didn’t elect a new president last month, we want to be on the lookout for a new board member with “presidential potential.”  Richard has a prospect in mind.  We also discussed contacting former members who may be interested in re-joining.  For example we might send an e-mail listing the next quarter’s meeting topics, etc.  The database used to drive our e-mail campaigns could handle it.

New Business

  • Sean Henderson has started a SQL Server study group concentrating on SQL Server 2008.  They have had their first meeting, and they will perhaps have some online (Virtual) meetings.
  • Facebook page has been updated with appropriate graphics etc., thanks to Annette.  Needs someone to post the meetings.  Annette will create an event once a month which propagates to those who have friended DACS.
  • From Charlie: We have received a request to update our telephone contacts for the
    security system at the resource center.  Richard Corzo will do so.

Adjourned: 9:40

 


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